CW 764 Gracious Savior, Grant Your Blessing
The subject of our hymn this week is marriage. As part of our 175th anniversary, First Evan is focusing on the wonderful gift of marriage and family in worship this week.
The author of this hymn is Stephen P. Starke, a pastor in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. This hymn is one of over 175 that he has written. “Gracious Savior, Grant Your Blessing” is one of eleven of his hymns that are in our current hymnbook. It is appropriate to use this hymn at weddings or at any time there is a focus on the estate of marriage.
Stanza 1: Gracious Savior, grant your blessing to all husbands and all wives, that in peace they live together in your love throughout their lives. Christ, defend them from the tempter and from all that would destroy love’s foundation you’ve established and its pathways paved with joy.
It is a practice in our churches that before a man and woman get married, the pastor counsels them. What is talked about in these sessions? Certainly, there is a focus on the wedding itself, especially the wedding promises the couple makes to each other. The promises made there show the permanency of marriage. Marriage is a lifelong union. With that in mind, a pastor will use counseling sessions before marriage to focus on life after the wedding.
This first stanza reminds us to pray to our Savior Jesus to bless husbands and wives as they figure out this blessed union. They need Jesus’ help in marriage to fend off temptations from Satan and all others who would try to destroy the bond they have in Christ.
Stanza 2: Lord, if you are not the builder, then the house is built in vain, for a home without your presence shall without true love remain. Yet when you within a marriage come and dwell with grace divine, there you fill the empty vessels, changing water into wine.
Our church is hoping to build an addition which will connect to our current church building. Not just anyone can do that, so we have carefully selected an architect and general contractor to help us do that. Not just anyone can build a marriage properly either. Wise King Solomon reminds us: “If the LORD does not build the house, it is useless for the builders to work hard over it.” (Psalm 127:1) God is the one who designed marriage. He is the expert! Therefore, in order to build a healthy marriage, husbands and wives need to look to him for help.
Jesus’ first miracle was performed at a wedding in Cana. He changed water into wine. It is Jesus who works on the hearts men and women changing them into loving spouses. How does he do it? He does it as couples hear and read God’s Word together.
Stanza 3: Cana’s guest, this union hallow; in your arms embrace this pair. Savior, clothe them with the garments they will daily need to wear: patience, kindness, and compassion, gentleness, humility; robe them, Lord, with love to bind them in a perfect unity.
This stanza is especially appropriate for the wedding itself. It is a wonderful paraphrase of Colossians 2:12-14. When we read or sing this stanza, we are praying that Jesus clothes the couple being married with attributes necessary for a Christian marriage. Patience, kindness, etc. don’t come naturally. Nor will couples be able to carry these things out perfectly. But out of love couples will seek to carry them out and also forgive each other when they fall short.
Stanza 4: Let our love in marriage picture how you dearly loved your bride: when you gave yourself to cleanse her, when for her you bled and died. Jesus, you have made her holy, pure and fair her radiant train; to yourself, your Church presenting, without wrinkle, spot, or stain.
When a Christian marriage is functioning the way God intended it to be, it is a beautiful picture of the relationship between Christ and his bride, the church. This stanza is a beautiful summary of Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:22-33.
These verses spell out the roles of husbands and wives. In describing the husband’s role of loving his wife to the extent that he is willing to die for her, we are reminded that is what Christ did for you and me. In dying for us, Christ made us pure and spotless in God’s sight. Remember that the next time you see a bride in her beautiful white dress walking down the aisle.
Stanza 5: Father, you created Adam, crafted Eve, and made them one; Jesus, from their sin you saved us, as God’s true incarnate Son; Holy Spirit, you forgive us; from our sins we are released. Bring us, Lord, at last to heaven, to the endless wedding feast.
When God formed Adam from the dust of the ground and Eve from Adam’s rib, he united them, forming a perfect marriage bond. However, it didn’t take long for sin to ruin that perfect bond. But the more important bond it ruined was the one both Adam and Eve had with their Heavenly Father. Undeterred, the Father sought to make things right on behalf Adam, Eve, and us. He sent his Son, Jesus, into the flesh to rescue us by taking our place on the cross. Now, God forgives all our sins for Jesus’ sake.
In Jesus’ day, wedding receptions lasted more than a few hours. They lasted for days. Even that is extremely short compared to the wedding feast that awaits us when Christ returns. There, whether you were married or not on earth, you will enjoy a feast that lasts forever. And that is true, because the Holy Spirit reminds us through confession and absolution, baptism, and communion that our sins are forgiven.
Thank God for the blessing of marriage. Whether you are married or single, celebrate this gift God gives through which he produces so many blessings, and encourage all who are married to faithfully carry out their wedding promises to each other.